[PRP] A Whole New World (Tawa x Monifa)

[SilverLutz]

The sun was slow to set today, but finally it sank beyond the horizon. The sky was still bright and would be for another hour or so, but the oppressive heat of the day was finally done. Tawa shook his mane as he returned from his border patrol, the first he had done since he had arrived. There were no males to chase off and no females to welcome, but that was fine by him. He wanted to ease into his new role slowly.

Making his way to the watering hole, he found it even lower than it had been the previous day. Clearly there were many mouths using it, both lion and prey beast alike. It wasn't cause of too much concern for the ex Firekin, used to limited water and rationing it. He got a drink, glad for the refreshing water to soothe his parched throat. It was cooler here than his old pride, certainly, but that didn't mean it wasn't hot.  

[DavyJnah]

Oh how beautiful the dying light of the sun was. It was the time of day that made the lioness happy. That, the night, and also the sunrise. The cooler parts of the day. Still she wasn't going to complain too much about the heat. It could always be worse. She had padded towards the watering hole. There she noticed the male. A male she had run into before.

"You." Surprised to see the once rogue among those at the drinking place. How... She knew of the few males in the pride and what their function was, but he was a new face. "What are you doing here?" Both a question to why and a question of his ranking. Maybe he'd understand that.

Still she wondered, hadn't there been talk of a new male member. Was it Tawa'shilah? Monifa almost chuckled at the thought of the new Inselelo.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Tawa didn't notice the approaching lioness, so when the single word came out he lifted his head sharply from the water, expecting some sort of attack. What he saw made his eyes widen in surprise. It was Monifa, the lioness he had met not too long ago out in the rogue lands.

Muzzle still dripping with water, he gave her a sheepish smile. "Ah...drinking," he said, nodding to the water. He knew that wasn't the answer she was looking for, though. "I just finished my first patrol. I..." Why was this so awkward? Perhaps because he had lied to her about his motives for being in the area. "I'm the new Inselelo. Nice to meet you. Again."

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

Clearly she could see he had come here for the water. Like her. Both of them were thirsty. The red pelted lioness had to actually stop herself from rolling her eyes at him and his response. Males. His next answer was a bit better. Patroling and also the new Inselelo. Well that did explain a lot of the gossip the other ladies were talking about.

"So you're the one I've been hearing about." The female chuckled. "Inselelo. Sooner or later you are going to have lioness crawling all over you." She chuckled. Knowing that there were a few males that the females could breed with. "It is also nice to meet you again. I won't get to upset about our last meeting."

Now she could tease him a little bit. Although she'd be careful, his rank meant something.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Hearing about? Tawa supposed news spread like wildfire in the pride when an old Inselelo was ousted and a new was introduced, both for the benefit of the females to know who not to attack, and for the benefit of the male himself for that very same reason. It would be a bit embarrassing for lionesses to mistake their new protector as an invader, after all. Her comment about lionesses crawling all over him made him pause, though.

"Oh...thank you," he said with a little bob of his head. "I didn't wish to alarm you by saying I was camping out there, thus the little white lie." He hoped that he cut a more imposing figure in her eyes than Emrys had. The small, grey lion certainly had been very gifted with words, but that was about it. He was lacking in size, strength, and courage in his mind.

"You said something about lionesses crawling all over me?" he added after a moment. "I...am not sure I follow."

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

This male was... well he was a bit naive then. She chuckled and answered him, "I think I could have handled the truth." Giving him a stern look. "You're tougher looking than the other Inselelo." She smiled at him.

Though his knowledge of what an Inselelo did. Oh he would soon learn. "You are one of the males we can breed with. There may be a few females who will want you to help father their children." He might be one that she would look to eventually but for now she had her eye on another red male. Andhaka. "I wouldn't say I wouldn't want you to sire my cubs, but you won't have to worry about that from me. At least... not now anyway."

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Monifa's words startled Tawa to say the least. He stood in silence for a while, his mind racing with the sudden situation he found himself in. He was one of a pawful of lions that could breed with all of the females in the pride? That was. Well. A lot. Not only that, but he had come here following the pawprints of his childhood love. What would that do to their relationship if he suddenly had to sire litters that weren't hers? And more importantly, why hadn't she told him this when he arrived?

Well. When he arrived they had been too excited about the reunion to do anything more than catch up, but. Still!

"That's...well. A surprise," he said weakly, trying to smile. If it was part of the job he doubted he could wiggle his way out of his responsibility for long. He'd have to go talk to Arita about this.

"Thanks for letting me know, though. That would have been rather embarrassing to deal with going in blind," he admitted as he moved away from the water, not wanting to simply stand in the shallows without drinking.

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

Roaring a laugh at the other she turned back to the water and gave it a few laps. Seemed like something they'd learn or know once they became an Inselelo but she didn't really know how that worked since after all she was a female and not a male. Who was to say how the whole thing went down or how they found out. Heck maybe it was just sprung on them all of a sudden. That would be quite terrible.

"Its good to be informed at least." She agreed, after moving away as well. "So what brought you to challenge Emrys?" Somewhat curious now as to why he was here. "If that isn't my business please do tell me. I won't take offence." The red pelted Busisa said.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

The change of topic was a relief. Tawa would have to find out more about his full duties as an Inselelo before promising anything to anyone. Perhaps he really wasn't cut out for this job after all.

"The Firekin are very selective in what they allow in the pride," he said as he settled down for the time being. He'd have to press on eventually but he could speak with the red lioness a bit longer. "I was acceptable in terms of color. My...friend was not." Friend was said with a heavy tone, indicating that although that's the title they used, it was far more than just friendship. "She had no acceptable color on her and was pushed out of our old pride at adolescence, much like the males are here, as I've heard. After a few weeks of internal debate I left as well and followed her trail to this pride. And...well. I heard from a few passing rogues that males were only allowed if they fought their way in, which is quite similar to how the Firekin work, so I bided my time until a male happened by. Gabedi, I believe his name was...but he beat me soundly. I was had just barely grown into my mane at that point, and I underestimated his strength. Emrys came and ousted him in the wake of our battle, a very cowardly way to do it in my mind. So I waited to regain my strength, challenged the coward, and here I am now without so much as a scratch."

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

She could tell by his tone that the friend he spoke of meant a lot to him. Listening to his story she felt that this male was quite worthy of the title of Inselelo. Although his fight with Emrys probably hadn't been everything he had wanted by the sounds of it. She didn't really know what to think of the ex Inselelo as she did not interact with with him that much. Well at least she could interact a bit more with Tawa.

"Well Tawa, I think that you being the new Inselelo will be good for the pride. Regardless of your other duties you are a strong lion. Some time maybe we can hunt together. If that is ok by you." She wasn't even sure that was ok but if it was, she'd be all for it.

SilverLutz

I think we can start to wrap this up.

 

[SilverLutz]

Hearing that Monifa approved of him made Tawa relax a bit. Good, at least there would be two females within the pride that felt he'd be a good Inselelo despite his surprise at the whole breeding thing.

"Thank you," he said with a little bow of his head. "I realize I came in under-informed, but I do wish to help this pride as much as I can and the members of it." It was his new home now, after all. He'd do whatever he could to protect it and do his job properly.

They spoke for a bit more before Tawa had to press on. He thanked Monifa for her 'warning' about what his job entailed before heading off to continue his patrol of the borders.

DavyJnah

And we're done!